Where We Belong
by sbollie
Summary: Five years ago, Jackie Burkhart left Point Place. Everything is different, and nothing is where it belongs.
1. Chapter 1 - She Had To Get Away

**A/N: I am completely new to this, so I hope I'm doing this right! And, I hope that you enjoy it. I have a few ideas that I am excited to write out! This begins in Season 8, episode 1. I am trying my best to do my research and keep this as true to the show as possible, but I might slip up here and there, and I have changed some things in tiny ways. I'm starting the story with two chapters.  
**

Thunder cracked overhead, dark gray clouds gathering in the afternoon sky. Jacqueline Burkhart clutched her chest tightly as she strutted up the driveway of the Forman home. She silently cursed the impending weather- the last thing she needed right now was for her hair to frizz. She made her way to the basement door and tentatively descended the steps. When she reached the door, she paused. Was she really ready to do this?

The day had been full of twisting, turning emotions. She had woken with the same overwhelming, heart-wrenching sadness that had weighed on her for the past month. Try though she might, she couldn't stop wondering "Where is Steven? When will he come home? Will we be okay?" The constant thoughts drove her mad, despite her attempts at distracting herself. And then, suddenly, everything changed. She walked into the Forman living room and saw Steven. Of course, an argument ensued and soon she found herself storming home, where she spent the next couple of hours fuming, boiling in her anger.

Nothing could compare, though, to the feeling of hope that rushed into her heart as Michael explained that Steven had intended to propose. Things finally began looking up, she found Steven, and they talked things out- and although he didn't make any promises, Jackie was happy. All that mattered was that they were together, and things felt right in the world. Cue the whore. A skinny blond walked in, wearing the skimpiest outfit that Jackie had ever seen. She immediately gave her the worst feeling- and it was confirmed when she announced that she was Mrs. Steven Hyde.

She couldn't remember everything after that. She remembered running, and she remembered finding her way to the bathroom of the Pinciotti home. She remembered sobbing, pleading, wondering "How could he do this to me?! How could he do this to US?" Time blurred. And suddenly it was late afternoon. She contemplated her next move- she couldn't sit here and waste away in the bathroom. She was too pretty for that! She would go out, she would forget about Steven- she would be the center of attention, and every man she encountered would be obsessed with her.

She did her makeup and her hair, marveling at her good looks, and then wandered back to the bedroom to find something perfect to wear. As she dug through her closet, though, a black mound caught her eye- bunched up into the corner of the closet. The Led Zeppelin tee. She tenderly picked it up, feeling the fabric, hugging it to her chest, and closing her eyes. It was a reminder of every wonderful part of Steven. She couldn't just let that slip away from her. She grabbed her coat, and she was out the door as fast as her petite legs could carry her.

And here she was- standing in front of the door to the Forman's basement. It was quiet on the other side, her friends must have been out goofing around somewhere. She just hoped that Steven was there. She put on her best confident expression and entered the basement. She unzipped her coat, laying it on Steven's chair and then heading back towards his bedroom. Suddenly, she heard a creak. The groaning of bed springs, the smacking of lips, and the voice of the ditzy blond as she whispered "I love you".

She couldn't stand to hear more- her stomach was turning. She understood now- Steven was on a new path now, and she could never be apart of it. He was in there, happily enjoying his new wife. She would let him enjoy his new life- but she certainly wouldn't stand around and watch. She sped out of the basement, and out of his life- for good.

* * *

A woman's voice came over the loud speaker. "7:05 to Denver will be boarding in thirty minutes" Jackie glanced around the small Greyhound station, wary of the unsavory characters surrounding her. She tried to keep to herself- keeping her foot through the handle of her duffel bag. Everything she needed- everything that she had, was this bag. She had gathered up her favorite pieces of clothing, the very basics of her makeup and hair supplies, and a handful of cash. She had a lot of money behind her, and she intended to use it to start her new life. She had a one-way ticket to Portland, Oregon- connecting in Denver. It was the first ticket she saw, and it was perfectly obscure and far, far away from Wisconsin. No one would ever look for her there.

In her lap, she held a stack of fashion and gossip magazines- she needed something to keep her occupied on the long bus ride ahead of her. She had also picked up a water bottle and a basket of french fries- but she had no appetite, and besides, that kind of grease was never good for anyone. She hated that there was so little for her to do. She feared that if she thought too much about what she was leaving behind, she would never be able to go through with it.

She sighed as she watched a woman come in through the arrival's door. The girl searched the building, her eye's lit up with excitement, until she spotted a young man, and rushed to his arms. They embraced happily, and Jackie had to force her eyes away. She closed her eyes, willing herself to think of anything but home.

By some miracle, she managed to keep her mind off of things, and soon enough, it was time to board her bus. She gathered her things, and took her place in line, happy to see that the people she would be riding with appeared to be relatively normal. She took a deep breath and climbed the steps onto the bus, saying goodbye to Point Place.


	2. Chapter 2 - New Beginnings

After three grueling days on the bus, Jackie Burkhart found herself in downtown Portland, Oregon. She felt completely lost- unfamiliar with every bit of her surroundings. She sat in the terminal of the bus station, unsure of her next move, and uncomfortable with the characters she was seeing around her. She was beginning to feel like this was a mistake- she didn't belong here, that was for certain.

She wandered over to the ticket counter, and gazed at the board. She knew that Portland wasn't far from the coast, and she loved the beach. She began to let her mind drift to pleasant thoughts of a quaint, coastal town- not her usual cup of tea, but what better a place to relax and start over? She drifted over the little city names, unsure which to choose- when one caught her eye. Astoria. Only a couple of hours away. She purchased a ticket from the woman at the desk and was off searching for her bus.

* * *

Back in Point Place, the week had been rainy and chilly. Things were oddly calm- despite the drastic changes that were taking place. Kitty could hardly keep up with everything as she tried her best to document it all on tape for her son in Africa.

That afternoon, everyone was occupied in their own lives. Kitty bustled about the house, stopping frequently to place a kiss on her husband's cheek. Red sat in his pea green chair, watching the TV and admiring his cheerful wife.

At the Hub, Donna sat at one of the tables, watching as the new guy, Randy, ordered them some fries. He had taken a job at Hyde's record shop, and promptly integrated himself into their little gang. It wasn't long before he had invited her to hang out- completely friendly, completely innocent, of course.

Fez was unusually quiet as he shampooed a customer's hair at the salon. He was silently fuming that he seemed to be the only one who noticed Jackie's absence over the past few days. He had been reluctant to invade her privacy, but this morning he had snuck in to her room (in true Fez fashion) and noticed that quite a few things were missing. He could only hope that his close friend was simply on a head-clearing vacation.

And Steven Hyde, the very reason that Jackie was gone, laid in bed with his naked wife. She had fallen asleep on his chest after some afternoon fun. He slowly pushed her off of his body, careful not to wake her, and turned his back to face the wall. He daydreamed of Jackie- but he was too stubborn to ever admit that to anyone.

* * *

Jackie's bus pulled into Astoria in the evening, as the sun was setting over the harbor. The town was small and beautiful, surrounding a large bridge. Tiny, cute houses lined the water, people walked their dogs, and families sat in the park. Jackie felt hopeful and optimistic about her future here. She didn't know where she would end up, but for now, she checked herself into the Seaside motel.

She sighed at the dingy room- she would have to find a better home, immediately. She unpacked her things in the dresser across from the bed, and picked up the 'Welcome to Astoria' booklet on the bed. She flopped down onto the bed, and flipped through the pages, making mental notes to check out the little shops and cafes when she had the chance.

She still felt the heavy pain in her chest, and missed her friend's, especially Steven, like crazy. But this would be good for her- she was absolutely determined.


	3. Chapter 3 - Five Years Later

**A/N: Thanks for the positive response! I really appreciate it. I'm trying to get chapters out as quickly as possible. As far as this chapter goes, the characters will be at slightly different points in the day, thanks to the time zone difference. Also, I made some changes as far as Samantha and Hyde's relationship goes, so it's a little different from the show. I hope you like it!**

- Five Years Later. Astoria, OR -

Sunlight crept through the curtains on the bay window's of Jackie's apartment. Her alarm clock had been ringing for twenty minutes now, unable to wake the sleeping girl. Jackie might have stayed asleep, too, if it weren't for her cat, Calvin, who strutted across her belly, diggings his paws into her skin. She woke up slowly, groggy and confused. She looked around and saw that she had fallen asleep on the couch. The purple afghan she had slept with had slipped onto the floor, and an open tub of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, it's contents melted down into a puddle, sat on the side table. Jackie frowned, hoping that Calvin hadn't helped himself. She loved her kitty- she would hate to see him get sick. She pulled herself up to a sitting position, ran a hand through her long dark locks, and scooped up her baby to give him a kiss on his nose.

Suddenly, she realized that her alarm was blaring off in the bedroom. She jumped up from the couch, sending Calvin bolting away. "Oh nooo, oh noooooo- shit!" Jackie groaned as she ran to her bedroom and checked the time. It was 9:20, and she would be late to work if she didn't leave immediately. She mourned the loss of her shower time and then quickly dressed and gathered up her files, notebooks and her favorite handbag. She threw her hair up into a messy-chic (at least she hoped it was chic) bun, grabbed her toothbrush and darted out to her living room/kitchenette. As she brushed her teeth, she awkwardly filled Calvin's food dish, and scoured her fridge for something that would be easy to eat on her way out. She grabbed an orange, finished brushing her teeth at the sink, blew a kiss goodbye to Cal, and she was gone.

Outside, it was a typical day in Astoria. Though the sun poked it's way through the heavy clouds, Jackie knew that at some point, the town would receive a sprinkling of rain. In the harbor across the street from Jackie's tiny duplex apartment, she saw fishermen loading up and preparing for their days. Small boats drifted across the foggy water, and seagulls hung about, squaking noisily. Jackie's neighbor, a single mother, smiled at Jackie as she and her two children waited for the school bus. Jackie gave a small grin, waving to the kids, as she fumbled to unlock her car. Finally, she slid into the driver's seat, tossed her bag and folders into the passenger side, and sped out of the driveway.

- Point Place, WI -

Led Zeppelin's 'In Through The Out Door' blared throughout Hyde's apartment. Hyde himself sat on the crappy brown couch that he and Eric had picked up on the side of the road one day. His legs were propped up on the coffee table in front of him, and he leaned his head back against the back of the couch, nodding along with the music. In his hand was a lit joint, of course. He stared at the cracks in the plaster ceiling, and watched as a spider inched along. _'Uh-oh. Forman's gonna' lose it when he sees that'_ he thought, chuckling about his goofy roommate and best friend.

Speaking of the Devil, Eric Forman emerged from his bedroom, holding his brown leather book bag. He needed to be at the elementary school- where he was a student teacher- in thirty minutes. He dropped the bag beside the front door and walked into the kitchen, looking for his brown paper bag lunch that he had prepared earlier that day. "Wanna hit this?" Hyde asked, holding out the joint with a sly grin. "I don't think Mr. Sanders would appreciate me being stoned around the kiddos, but thanks" Eric responded, smiling sadly at his burnt out friend.

It was obvious to everyone that Hyde was in a lot of pain. No one understood why, though. When Jackie had disappeared, everyone had expected him to lose it. But for the following two years, he remained married to Samantha. He seemed happy enough. Never quite himself again, but he remained faithful to his wife and was always just as tight-knit with the gang as he had ever been. Then one day, Samantha was gone. Hyde didn't want to talk about it, and he insisted to everyone that he was fine, he did not care one bit.

Ever since then, Hyde had kept to himself a bit more. He picked up girls, but never dated. He tried to appear normal in front of his friends, but it wasn't difficult to see that he wasn't happy with his life. It became even more apparent to Eric when they moved in together last year. Hyde ran the record store and kept it running and popular, he spent time with the gang every day, participated in their frequent antics and stayed true to the funny pothead that he was as a teen. But Eric could tell- Hyde wanted something else in life.

Eric frowned a bit, hiding his expression from his friend, and then turned and left, muttering a quiet "Seeya" on his way out. He ambled down the many flights of metal stairs that lead out to the parking lot, and climbed into the Vista Cruiser. It was a mess of school papers, fast food wrappers and some beer cans in the back, just like Eric liked it. He tossed his bag into the passenger seat, started up the car, and headed for the elementary school.

- Astoria, OR -

Jackie found herself running up to the yellow Victorian building where she worked. She opened the front door, hearing the chime of the bell as she entered, and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. She smiled warmly at a couple of clients that sat in the parlor, and then made her way back to her "office" area. The building was really an old home, and her workspace was the old den, consisting of a desk, a loveseat where her clients could sit, and a bookshelf full of binders that contained every last bit of her event-planning inspirations and necessities.

She had found 'Brilliant Events' her first week in Astoria. She fell in love with the charming little house, and it's owner, Mrs. Sandra Everett. She was a strong, warm, accepting woman who had opened her business as a young woman and climbed up the ladder to achieve the prestigious position she held now. Even though Astoria was a very small town, they got a lot of business from Portland, and that put them on the map. Jackie was currently one of the business' best consultants- of course she was only one out of five. She had earned her position after a couple of years of working as Mrs. Everett's assistant.

It was a few months after Jackie arrived in Astoria before she started working for Brilliant Events. She spent those months living off of the money her father had provided her with, getting settled in, and exploring the beautiful coast of Oregon. And then she had seen the ad posted on the classifies board in one of the local coffee shops. Sandra Everett needed a new assistant. Jackie knew the moment she saw that ad that she would get the job. Who wouldn't hire her? She had perfect taste, and she was charismatic, and beautiful of course. She nailed her interview, and from her first day, she fell in love with the job. She loved sifting through magazines, clipping out things that caught her eye, building portfolios and creating beautiful weddings and parties. She felt so good expressing her creativity and style- it had become her life, and the perfect distraction from the things she had left in the past.

Just when she thought that she had gotten away with being late, she heard the click clack of heels outside of her door. She turned and smiled at her boss. Sandra grinned and gave Jackie a faux-scolding look and took a graceful seat on the couch. "Good morning. Did you have a chance to pull up some venue suggestions for Miss Lancaster's wedding?" her boss questioned. Jackie nodded and perused her shelf until she located the binder that she had assigned for her current project. She had been up late the night before, looking for the perfect venue's for the bride-to-be, who had very picky taste. She opened the folder and began presenting her choices to her boss. With that, her work day began.

- Point Place -

The day had passed uneventfully for Eric. He had helped the third grade students in his class study for their spelling quiz the next day, graded math homework, monitored recess, and helped Mr. Sanders- the teacher that he was observing- decorate the classroom for their upcoming dinosaur unit. He really did enjoy working with the kids.

It was late afternoon as he drove home, stopping at Fatso Burger on the way to pick up some burgers and fries for himself and Hyde. He pulled up to the apartment and began his ascent up the staircase, dropping the fast food bags on the ground for a moment so that he could dig out his keys and get the door open. When he got inside, he could hear music from Hyde's bedroom, and it sounded like Hyde had a girl over. He could hear muffled voices, sounding cheerful. He continued on into the kitchen and stuck the food in the microwave to reheat it. As he was waiting, he heard Hyde's door open, and two pairs of footsteps making their way towards him. "Eric. Hi." he heard the girl speak.

Eric turned around in surprise. Standing in front of him was Donna. He couldn't believe it. He knew that she had moved back into town a few weeks ago, but up until now, they hadn't seen each other much. Things were just too awkward between them. The last time he had seen her, he thought it would be, well, the last time. He remembered when she and Randy had announced that they were having a baby. Eric had been shocked, and for a moment, he wondered... and then Donna had added "Yep- three months along." with a smile, as she rubbed her tummy. Later, they would say goodbye privately, both biting back tears and feigning happiness. As much as he had known that he would miss her, and the missing her would just kill him, he was thinking that day that it was probably best if they never interacted again. Yet here she was. And she was beautiful.

Her hair had grown even longer, and was back to it's vibrant red. She had the most genuine smile on her face, something that Eric had not seen in so long. She reached out to embrace Eric, and he awkwardly accepted her hug, savoring the feeling of being close to the love of his life, after so long without her. "We were just gonna grab some food" Hyde interjected. Eric turned to him and held up the bag of fast food. "If I had known you had someone over, I would have bought more." he apologized, "But, if you want, Donna, you can have my food, and I'll just eat a sandwich or something." Eric offered the food to his friends, and Donna responded with laughter. "That's alright. I actually just realized how late it is. I have to get back home to the sitter." Donna announced. "Hyde, it was great seeing you again. I'll get back to you about that show." Hyde nodded, and began leading her to the door to let her out. They shared a casual hug and Hyde opened the door. "And Eric- it was good to see you too." Donna said hesitantly, before walking out the door.

Hyde turned to Eric after their friend was gone. He grinned knowingly at the flabbergasted boy, and then went to grab his burger. "Man, what a trip." Eric said wearily. "Why didn't you tell me you were hanging out with Donna?" he questioned. Hyde shrugged. "I don't know, man. She's been over here a couple of times. I didn't think you would care." Eric frowned "A couple of weeks?! Well... didn't she ask about me, or want to see me, or something?" he asked desperately. "Forman, don't get yourself worked up. I don't want to hear you whine about this all night." Hyde sighed, and then took his burger and retreated to his room. Eric remained in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, eating his food and lost in thought.

- Astoria, OR-

Jackie turned the key of her door and ducked inside quickly. As she had predicted, rain was tumbling down on her. She was happy to enter her warm apartment, where she shook off her coat, hung it on the rack and turned on the lights. Calvin was napping on the couch, and she could tell that the playful kitty had been jumping around the living room, noticing her afghan that was sprawled out on the floor and all twisted up. She smiled as she slipped her shoes off, and made her way to her bathroom to take a shower.

After a relaxing hot shower, she felt fresh and calm. With the rain pounding her roof and windows, and her home feeling so cozy, she decided that it would be a perfect night for a warm bowl of soup and some tea. She made her way into the kitchen and began rummaging through her pantry, deciding what type of soup she would make. When her savings from her father had run out, Jackie had been forced to make some diet changes. Before, she was able to afford high-quality, easy to prepare food, or just eat out or order in most nights. But once she had to start putting her paychecks towards food, she realized that the only "easy-to-make" food that was cheap enough for her was horribly unhealthy, and disgusting. Over time, she had no choice but to learn to cook from scratch, and in her own opinion she could make some pretty damn good dishes. She knew how to make a simple soup and grilled cheese, at least.

Jackie threw some garlic into her soup pot and let it simmer while she filled her teapot. She set the water on the back burner, and began adding broths, beans and vegetables to her soup. When she was done adding ingredients, she let the pot sit to cook, and made herself a grilled cheese sandwich. Her pot began to steam, and she poured her water into a mug. Soon enough, she had prepared the sandwich, enough soup to feed her for dinner and a couple of lunches, and a cup of chai tea. She carried her dinner out to the living room on a little wooden tray and set it down, switching on her television and finding her favorite trashy gossip show. As she ate, she looked over her work papers. She had moved forward quite a bit with her client's wedding that day, and she had a lot to do. She opened up her planner and began marking dates. And then she remembered that her bride had officially set the date and the venue today. She turned her planner to June 12th, and marked 'Lancaster Wedding Weekend- Portland'. She wrote a quick note reminding herself to start looking into a hotel that she could book, and then continued on with her work.

**A/N: Alright, I hope that was okay. I had a few ideas come up while writing this, which is fun. I originally meant for Eric and Donna to have a very small plot in this story, but I sort of expanded it and gave some information about them in this chapter. If I have any readers who want to leave a review, I'm wondering: Should I write out their entire history throughout this story, or just leave it up to your guys' imagination? I am also considering saving their plot and creating an entirely separate story that would sort of be a partner to this one, that goes into more detail about what happened with Donna and Eric. Also, I haven't really written much dialogue before, so I feel like what I've written is a bit awkward. If anyone has any tips or feedback about those parts of the story, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! **


	4. Chapter 4 - Donna and Judith

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I am not sure how to respond to them, but I am keeping everything in mind. I have things planned out, for the most part, I'm just trying to work out the kinks. Here's a Donna chapter for you! **

- Point Place, WI -

"Ooooweeeeee" shrieked a small little girl, clutching her strawberry blond wisps of hair. "Mommmmyyyy. That hurts" She whined. Donna sighed, stroking her daughter's hair and attempting to soothe her. She had been trying to figure out one of the fancy hairstyles that her little girl loved for the past thirty minutes. Who would have thought that it could be so difficult? It certainly didn't help that her child's hair was so soft and thin. Donna gave up on the ridiculous twisty bun-thingy that she had been trying to figure out, and instead began braiding her daughter's hair into two tiny little pigtails. _'Jackie would have been great at that...' _Donna thought to herself, with a frown. She then kissed her daughter's forehead and helped her up to her feet. The girl quickly toddled off, happy to be free to play again.

Judith was only two and a half, but she was a strong-willed, playful kid. She was the center of Donna's world, much to her surprise. She had never even imagined that she would have children, and she didn't expect to love motherhood so much. Getting pregnant had been an incredible surprise, and she hadn't welcomed it, at first. She remembered sitting in the bathroom, staring at the test in shock, until Randy arrived home from work. He searched the apartment for her, and found her in the bathroom. "Hey, do you want to-" he paused, spotting the pregnancy test. "Donna... are you... ?" He couldn't bring himself to say the 'P' word. Donna felt sick to her stomach. She didn't know what to say- so she just nodded.

The few weeks that followed were so uncomfortable. Donna and Randy avoided each other, and every time they were around their friends, they could barely manage to act normal. Donna had scheduled herself a doctor's appointment, and she had been a mess of anxiety and confusion until that day came. The first thing that the doctor did was confirm her pregnancy. And then the doctor explained to her that they could perform an ultrasound, where she would be able to see her baby. She felt conflicted at first, but then decided that she wanted one. The moment that she saw the blurry image of a tiny little body pushing itself around in her womb, every last doubt disappeared. It felt so clear that she was going to be a mother, and she was ready to embrace it.

It wasn't long before Randy jumped on board, and soon they were happily announcing the baby to their friends. They were all just as surprised as her, but immediately they congratulated the two, and things didn't feel too weird, which really made her happy. When Donna called her mom to tell her the big news, she started pushing Donna towards moving closer pretty quickly. It wasn't long before Donna's sentimental, emotional pregnant brain took over, and suddenly she was telling Randy that she just needed to be with her mother. She wanted her mom to watch her tummy grow, and be there when the baby was born, and she wanted her child to know their grandmother.

Just as Donna's stomach was becoming noticeable, she and Randy packed up the contents of their small apartment, said a tearful goodbye to their friends and family in Point Place, promising to visit often, and they were off for California. Life on the west coast was so different from Point Place. Donna's mother helped her find a job, working for a much bigger radio station then WFPP. Randy struggled for awhile, having a harder time standing out among the thousands of other young, blond, music fanatics that lived in California. Eventually, he took a job as a waiter and decided that he should try to go to school. They lived in a condo not too far from the ocean, and Donna did her best to embrace her new life. She loved seeing her mother every day- they would eat lunch, shop for baby clothes, and relax at the beach together. Her mother also joined her at every doctor's appointment, thrilled that she was about to have a grandbaby.

Judith Caroline Pinciotti was born on September third, 1981. Donna thought it was only fair that she keep her mother's maiden name, at least until Randy married her. Her boyfriend was excited about becoming a father, but he found that no matter how much time passed, he never felt very connected to his daughter, or to her mother, for that matter. For months, he was constantly pestered with thoughts of what his life could be like, if he was just on his own. Donna never knew about these thoughts, though. All she knew was that one day, after arriving home from work, she discovered that Randy was gone, and that she didn't feel that broken up about it. She was a strong, independent young woman, and she felt confident that she could have it all, if she wanted it. She would have a career, and she would raise her daughter, all by herself.

For the next two years, she thrived in California. With the help of her mother, she managed to earn her associates degree in journalism, and she watched as her tiny little girl turned into a fiery, silly toddler. She also visited Point Place often, visiting her father, and seeing her friends. Somehow, though, Eric had managed to avoid her every time. She remembered the increasingly ridiculous excuses for why he never seemed to be around. "He's visiting cousins in Kenosha"... "He's at the Sci-fi convention" ... "He went back to Africa!" that last one delivered by Kelso, who hadn't become any better of a liar then he was as a teen. At that point, Donna decided to give up. It was obvious that Eric didn't want to see her, and as much as it stung, she couldn't waste every visit wondering why. It was bad enough that Jackie had disappeared, leaving a mystery that constantly nagged at Donna.

When the gang had first realized that Jackie was gone, there were a lot of varying emotions. She remembered how Fez was the first one to say anything. He had stormed into the basement one day, fuming. He gave everyone a sharp glare and burst into an angry rant. "What is the matter with you people?! It has been two weeks since anyone has even seen Jackie, and no one has said a thing about it? Donna, you live with the girl! How could her absence mean so little to you, her supposed best friend?! And do not even get me started on you Hyde. I guess you've just been to caught up in your sexy-times with your stripper wife to notice that the greatest woman that you could have been lucky enough to spend your life with, was suddenly not around?!" Fez could hardly contain his frustration, and on top of that, he was sure that a tear would escape his eyes if he wasn't careful. He was just so sad that his lovely best friend had left. His anger and his grief didn't start to fade for months after that. For Donna, there was a lot of confusion, and a lot of hurt. Why would Jackie just leave them like that? Of course, Donna did feel guilty that she hadn't noticed that Jackie was gone, and she wrestled with that for a long time. Hyde, as always, remained "zen", and didn't seem fazed, but Donna wondered what he was feeling behind closed doors. The Formans and her own father, Bob, seemed sad that Jackie had moved away, and also maybe a bit disappointed in their children. It had taken a long time before the gang had been able to let it go, enough so that they were able to keep going with their lives, and be happy. Even years later, Donna found herself thinking of her friend often, wondering about her, and missing her.

In the spring of 1984, Donna got the awful news that her dad had had a heart attack. Not long after, she decided that it was time to move back home. She really felt that she needed to be there to help her dad, to make sure that he was living a healthy lifestyle. She and Judith moved back into her childhood home, and Donna had to admit that she liked the thought of her child growing up in the same quaint, family-oriented town that she did. Donna found a job at the local newspaper, thanks to the help of some old high school friends who were able to put in a good word for her. She didn't start for another week, so she had spent the past couple of weeks settling in and revisiting some of her favorite old places. She spent time with Kitty and Red, who loved to see Judith, and often offered to babysit, and she had been able to have lunch with Fez a few times. She had even been to hang out with Hyde several times at his and Eric's apartment. She tried her best to stay out of Eric's way, after he had gone to such great lengths to avoid her in the past. But finally, yesterday, she had seen Eric for the first time in years.

It had been a little bit awkward, but Donna had kept her cool, and managed to make it through the two-minute reunion without doing anything embarrassing. And then she had bolted from the apartment, pretending that she needed to go pick up Judith, who was actually home right that moment, watching movies with her grandpa. As she drove home, she couldn't get over the overwhelming feeling she had experienced the moment that she saw Eric. God, had she missed him, and right that moment she had wanted to run to him and hold him, and maybe even kiss him. That really scared her. It also made her want to cry, because she knew that Eric wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. She didn't have a chance, even if she wanted to try. Eric was done with her- he had said a permanent goodbye to her, when she left for California.

Now, Donna found herself laying on her bed, staring at the trees outside of her window. She closed her eyes, and remembered all of the moments that she and Eric had shared right in that bedroom. The nostalgia pained her, and she had to get her mind off of it. She turned her head to watch Judith, who sat on the ground playing with her toys. "Judy, come 'ere, sweetheart" Donna said, smiling as her tiny girl pulled herself to her feet and toddled over to the bed. She scooped her up and held the girl on her lap, smiling and singing songs with her, playing games, and trying to stop thinking about Eric.

After awhile of playing Judith, the little girl started to tire and fuss. Donna laid her down in her crib to nap, and slipped out of the room. She passed her father, who was watching TV on the couch, and entered the kitchen, where she perused the fridge for dinner. She wasn't the greatest cook, but her dad really needed some good, healthy, home-cooked meals. Luckily for Donna, Kitty had been bringing over a weeks worth of meals every Sunday, just to get them by. She had also promised to give Donna some cooking lessons. Donna was amazed that the sweet woman cared about helping her so much, despite the fact that she hadn't stayed with her son, and had a child with someone else. Donna smiled thinking about the caring woman, as she pulled out one of the casseroles that she had prepared. She found a note on the top where Kitty had written the heating instructions, and Donna followed them, sticking the dish in the oven at 350 degrees. While she waited for the food to cook, she decided to go check the mail. After slipping on her coat, she walked out the side door and down the driveway to the mailbox. She retrieved the mail and dropped it on the kitchen table back inside, taking a seat so that she could sort through it. She made a stack of bills, and threw out the junk. On the bottom of the pile she spotted a creamy envelope, addressed to her in a beautiful scrawling font. She eyed it curiously, about to open it, when her timer went off. She set the letter aside, and went to get the food out of the oven.

It wasn't until after dinner, and after more playtime, bath time and bed for Judith, that Donna was able to revisit the envelope. She carefully opened it, pulling out a lovely card with a lacey-looking cut out along the edges. It was a wedding invitation, which confused her at first. Then, she spotted 'Alison Lancaster' on the card. Ali was one of her best friends from California! She had moved up north quite awhile before Donna had moved back to Point Place, but the two had kept in touch, and Donna was happy to see that her friend was getting married. The letter indicated that most guests would be staying at the Vintage Plaza Hotel in Portland, but that any hotel would be fine. Donna had never been to Oregon. She wondered if she would be able to make that date, and if she would be able to leave Bob. She made a mental note of the date, and decided that she would look around her calender to see what she could do. She definitely wanted to be their to support her friend. She stuck the invitation on the little corkboard in the kitchen, so that she wouldn't forget. With that, she made her way upstairs to get ready for bed.

**A/N: Hope that you liked it! **


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